


Sushi Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

by RubyFiamma



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: 8059, 8059 week, Based on a Tumblr Post, Co-Written, Day 4 "Sushi", Fluff, Inline with canon, M/M, Role Play Thread
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-04-15
Packaged: 2018-03-23 01:38:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3750127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RubyFiamma/pseuds/RubyFiamma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Yamamoto uses sushi to win over Gokudera's heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sushi Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

**Author's Note:**

> Based on an ongoing rp thread and co-written by [naturalborn-hitman](http://naturalborn-hitman.tumblr.com/). She's the Yama to my Goku ❤ 
> 
> Day 4, Prompt "Sushi"

**Sushi Makes the Heart Grow Fonder**

* * *

 

Gokudera jumps at the sound of his name, having heard it being shouted from somewhere far behind him, more or less because he’s new and hasn’t bothered to make friends with anyone at school — not that he wants to, because he isn’t here to make _friends --_ not because he's startled. He’s here on official Vongola business, and he’ll be damned if he wastes valuable time making friends he doesn’t need.

He hears his name being called a few more times, and it's getting closer this time. The candied cheeriness that floats on the arid air from the other sends an inexplicable irritated jolt up his spine. It makes him halt mid step and turn to find the source of the sudden offense.

What he sees is a tall and lanky boy, with dark disheveled hair, brushed up in several directions from the obvious habitual hand coursing through it. His skin looks like he’s been appreciated by the sun, it’s rays soaking in and staining it gold; not at all like Gokudera’s pale and slightly freckled skin. What’s worse is the boy’s smile, it’s bright — brighter than the disappearing evening sun and it’s instantly burning an itch under his skin as if it were a colony of skittering fire ants.

The boy is waving to him with his one hand, the second, Gokudera notices, is covered in a cast held up in a sling and he’s jogging towards Gokudera’s place on the sidewalk. Gokudera’s urging his feet to move and turn but he can’t seem to do it. He’s in front of him now, smiling like they’ve known each other for years and Gokudera instinctively curls inward and steps backward, creating more distance between the two of them. He’s there, the smile still spread wide across his face, asking if Gokudera's walking home alone or waiting for someone before Gokudera has to cut him short to snap at the boy for asking too many personal questions like they're  _friends._

“Who the fuck—” and then he clamps his mouth shut because simultaneously he’s shielding his eyes from the sun and he can get a better look at the boy’s face and there’s familiarity nagging at the corners of Gokudera’s mind. He recognises him from class — and that he’s the Tenth’s “ _friend_ “ and if Gokudera’s going to get anywhere in the Tenth’s good graces he can’t be shrugging off this annoyance entirely. Right?

"Hey, Gokudera!" the boy repeats, "You're leaving pretty late, coming from a club?" He shifts his weight, pulls on the strap of his school bag strap across his chest. "I just finished baseball practise."

"Clubs?” Gokudera scoffs, crosses his arms over his chest and glares up at the taller boy. “Clubs are for idiots. And I didn't _ask_ you, nor do I care what you do in your spare time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have important business to take care of. Fuck off and stop bothering me.”

Fuck. So much for _not_ shrugging the idiot off. He's growling to himself, thinking of some kind of redemption when the boy's sparkling bubble of laughter rings clear through his ears, and Gokudera can't understand why but it makes him pause to look at the other, if only for a second, before catching himself now irritated with the sound.

“Haha! Well Gokudera doesn’t have to be in sports’ clubs. Maybe something like literature?”

Gokudera snorts at the idea and turns to leave but the boy is persistent. He's hot on Gokudera's heels, quickly falling into step with Gokudera's hasty pace, and he's not really all that surprised that this boy can keep up, the other is built athletically and has long legs to make up the pace gap in stride.

“Ah -- does Gokudera have plans then?” Gokudera suddenly feels the heavy weight of a hand on his shoulder, and then he's recoiling like he's just been electrocuted. There's burning heat, like intense magma seeping into his skin and it suddenly itches something fierce. The taller teen's smile doesn't fade, in fact it seems to get brighter despite Gokudera's offensively defensive body language, clearly unable to read the situation, and Gokudera's beginning to think this guy is a real fucking idiot.

“Hey! Do you like sushi? My dad always makes plenty when I have friends over. You should come by the shop if you're not doing anything!”

Gokudera shudders in irritation and grits his teeth, _trying_ to ignore the guy that _refuses_ to take a hint and leave already. It isn’t fair, he thinks, that he has to put up with this infuriating chatter for the sake of the Tenth. What’s he doing keeping friends like this stupid moron anyways? The Tenth is way beyond associating himself with stupid baseball freaks like this guy and yet —

“Do you ever _shut up_?!” he snarls finally, whipping around to glare at the boy that continues to match him in stride, despite the fact that Gokudera's almost running now. Being shorter, Gokudera is definitely at a disadvantage but if he could just reach for one of those sticks —

"And no, I am not in any fucking clubs, and yes, I do have plans — very important plans — _not_ that it’s any of your business but I am heading to the Tenth’s house to drop of his assignments —," Fuck its all coming out now, pouring off his tongue like a poison and Gokudera can't stop. "-- and _what the fuck_ — no, I don’t like sushi, I dont even like _you_ — and I sure as hell am not your _friend_! I don’t even know your name, nor do I  _want_ to, so take a hint and get lost, you fucking freak!”

The boy doesn't look moved, not even the slightest bit offended by Gokudera's outburst and this leaves Gokudera ready to fight, except that he can't because then the Tenth would really be upset though he can feel every inch of skin set on fire like he had been doused in gasoline and irritation was the fuse.

"Ah! To Tsuna’s? Does Gokudera know how to get there? I can walk with you.” He smiles, turning to face Gokudera and skips backwards like a fucking  _child._ “I’m Yamamoto Takeshi. So, I guess we’re not strangers now at least, right?"

Gokudera stares incredulously, blinking unbelievably at the tall freak in front of him, whose name he didn't care to remember. He isn't sure if perhaps this boy is actually stupid or if he's just trying Gokudera's patience. And suddenly it hits him that maybe this is a test that Reborn-san has set up to perhaps see how he's able to handle people for future delegation. With consideration, however, Gokudera just can't do it. Gokudera doesn't like this guy, doesn't want to be nice to him in the slightest. So he doesn't offer his own name, as the stupid idiot has already made it clear he's aware of it, so he continues walking in hopes that the taller boy will get the point and just _fuck off._  
  
"So what sort of assignments does Tsuna need?” Gokudera doesn't answer, and he keeps on walking, past houses that all seem to look the same and he's reading the names off the gates but he doesn't see the Tenth's. The other boy is still talking to him but Gokudera isn't listening or responding, but being ignored clearly does nothing to deter this freak of nature.

"Are you sure you're not lost? I can take you to Tsuna's, really, it's no trouble!"

He rolls his eyes and heaves a loud, disgruntled sigh. He wasn’t actually aware of where the Tenth lived, nor did he know his way around the back streets in the area. He had the address he had gotten from the school and was just going to walk around in hopes of finding it before it got too late. Now lost and hoping it would get rid of him, Gokudera considers seeking the help of the other boy. Having this idiot show him where the Tenth lived was embarrassing but at least he could utilise what little knowledge the moron had. It wasn’t like he was currently a threat. The Tenth would obviously never let someone so stupid and annoying become one of his subordinates. Not to mention that bright white, un-waning smile of his. People that smile like that aren't meant to be trusted. Gokudera’s all but insulted his family and the guy is still insisting he stick around. Either he’s incredibly stupid or he has some ulterior motive. In which case Gokudera should follow him to the Tenth’s house _just to be safe._

“Do as you fucking please, freak.” It's as close as a plea for help as Gokudera's giing to utter. He refuses to call the other boy by name, because it isn't like Gokudera was trying to establish any kind of relationship with him. At all. Knowing his name wouldn’t be important, and calling him by name would mean he meant something to Gokudera, in which case he would _never_ in a million years –

“Don't walk so close to me – people will think were _friends_. And it’s none of your fucking business what the Tenth has to do, so just shut up and keep walking.”

If Gokudera had to walk with this annoying kid, at least he could do it in silence.

"Haha okay. Tsuna’s not too far from here. See? Its just up ahead, Gokudera!”

Gokudera says nothing but continues to follow the lead of the other boy. He's not even looking at the other, choosing to have some profound interest in the sidewalk the hard rubber soles of his shoes clap on rather than offer up conversation to fill the awkward silence. He doesn't bother to even listen to the mindless chatter of the boy beside him, just drowns him out in thoughts of the future, what it'd be like to be the Vongola Decimo's right hand man and all that cool stuff.

"Gokudera?"

He's snapping back to reality at the sound of his name, and the idiot is looking at him expectantly like he's been trying to get his attention for a while now and Gokudera's ignoring tactics have finally worked.

"This is Tsuna's place," he says, ushering a hand over a gate that reads _Sawada._ "Do you want me to wait for you?"

Gokudera turns back and opens his mouth, feels crimson heat strike across his face before snapping his mouth shut so hard his teeth clack together. Gokudera nearly snaps and tells the other to just _fuck off_ , that he doesn’t like the other and that just being in the other’s presence makes him feel increasingly irritable and unintelligible as each second passes, but they’re at the Tenth’s house, and he can’t allow the Tenth to see him being so hostile. So he swallows his pride and ducks his head so that his hair hides the heat colouring his face.

“Whatever, baseball freak. The Tenth is sick, so don’t be bothering him with your stupidity. I’ll be only a few minutes, so just wait here,” he grumbles as he heads towards the front door.

When he looks back, the taller boy is smiling, and Gokudera isn’t surprised that the falling sun creates a glowing halo around the other boy’s head.

* * *

 

When Gokudera steps back outside, he is actually surprised to see the baseball freak still waiting for him. He had forgotten that the other boy was here, and frankly Gokudera was in no mood to deal with his cheery bullshit. He had taken his time inside the Tenth's place before being shooed away by Reborn-san and now he's frowning and he knows it, pouting like a scolded child, even though he had just seen the Tenth. He feels a little useless, can’t seem to do much himself to make the Tenth feel better, and he didn’t seem to be too happy to receive his assignments either.

“How was Tsuna?" he asks, lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning. Gokudera doesn't understand why the Tenth's sickness seems to bring such joy to the moron, why he won't fucking just go away when he sees he isn't wanted. "Should I go to the old man to bring him some soup or something?"

“The Tenth is sick, how the fuck do you think he is?” Gokudera catches the slight frown that slips across the boy’s face before that annoyingly bright smile is back and then fiery irritation is scrubbing at his skin again and he’s resisting hard against lashing out. Instead, he pulls out a cigarette, having managed to make it all the way here without one, and lights it. The first drags feels like heaven, settling in on calming his nerves before he opens his mouth to reject Yamamoto’s suggestion. Like hell he’d want to spend any more time with this idiot.

“And! No – the Tenth has a _mother_ that’s perfectly adequate in taking care of him and providing all the fucking soup he needs, stupid. Just go home already.” He considers the offer one more time but shakes his head and starts heading in the direction of home – though once he leaves the Tenth’s gate, he’s not really sure which way that is.

"Well, can I walk you home then?"

"Absolutely not," grates Gokudera, furiously dragging on his cigarette.

"Aw c'mon," the other boy insists. "I'm sure Tsuna would have wanted me to make sure his new friend got home safely, don't you think?"

Gokudera pauses, glaring spitfire because he can’t _believe_ this guy just used the _Tenth_ to _barter_. He doesn’t even know what to say at first, because _fuck_ this guy plays _dirty_ and he doesn’t like it – but what if the other tells the Tenth about this evening and what if the freak says something about refusing to walk home with him on the Tenth’s wishes and then – what if the Tenth thinks _he’s_ disloyal and can’t follow orders?

He finally concedes with a growl, making sure it’s loud enough that the other _knows_ Gokudera sees right through him and doesn’t like the cheap and tacky methods he uses to get his own way. He doesn’t trust this bastard, and he certainly doesn’t like that he’s the Tenth’s _friend_.

“I’m only doing this because it’s what the Tenth would have wanted  – do _not_ think this means we’re fuckin’ pals  – got it?“ His stomach starts to growl as he falls into step behind the taller boy and he shoves a hand into his pocket, grabbing at the loose coins. He hopes it isn’t loud enough for the other to hear, and he makes a mental note to stop by the convenience store to pick up a cup of ramen for his dinner.

 “Okay! Gokudera’s pretty nervous though!” the boy laughs. "Say, what's your address?"  
  
Gokudera relents, not having much energy left in him to put up a fuss. This fucking guy's exuberance is exhausting.

"Ah! It's this way, c'mon!" He can see the other boy reach out reflexively, like he's going to reach for Gokudera's wrist and urge him in the direction he's jogging, but Gokudera stops short and dodges the contact, drops the butt to the ground and the other pulls back with a smile and patiently waits for Gokudera to pick up where he left off.

It turns out he isn't too far from the Tenth when he hears the taller teen say, “This is right, isn’t it Gokudera?”

Gokudera huffs a sigh of resignation, following the taller boy’s gaze to the apartment complexes in front of them. He’s been staring at the ground the entire time, replying to all of the other’s mindless chatter with quips and snaps and now that he faces the evening alone, he isn’t sure he’s looking forward to the loss of company.

“Yeah… This is me,” he says distractedly, catching the flecks of gold in the other’s eyes as the last rays of the burning sun disappear behind the line of the buildings. He’s a little awed by them, has never seen eyes of such a colour — they’re rare; like ancient amber resin with golden halos encircling them.

"Haha see? I told Gokudera I would get him home!"

It’s this and the sharp yelp of a dog in the distance that brings Gokudera blinking back to reality and when he chances another quick glance, the other is staring too warmly and his mouth is in the form of too soft of a smile. He takes a step back, nearly trips over his own feet, reaches for the wrought iron gate but clumsily misses. He’s thrown off and uneasy so he snaps, “Well, are you gonna fuckin’ go or what, _baseball freak_?”  
  
“Haha, take it easy! I’m going, I’m going," he chuckles, holding his hands up in defense. "I’ll see Gokudera at school tomorrow?”

"I hope not," Gokudera growls, almost as loud as his stomach, and it's then he doesn't bother to wait for boy's response, instead he rushes up the driveway and into the building, but somehow he can still feel the burn of the other's gaze boring a hole straight through his back.

* * *

 

 

He's just getting out of the shower when he hears his doorbell ring. He's cautious, only having just moved in so no one should know of this address other than Reborn-san. He's quick to grab the gun he keeps stashed by the door and when he looks through the peephole, he sees no one. Gokudera opens the door slowly, peering down the hall with his gun raised and when he finds nothing, he's quick to rush inside before some old lady catches him with a weapon and calls the cops but something catches his eye. He looks down, it's right in front of his door, and it looks like a package -- well, more like a bag with maybe... Styrofoam take out containers?

Gokudera's insides turn to ice, the irrational fear of food from an unknown source is drawing tight knots of anxiety in his gut. His first thoughts are food from a rival family that's tainted, but then his mind drifts to his sister and her infamous "poison cooking" and that she's left some stupid house warming gift on his doorstep and waves of nausea are already crashing into him, making him sway in the doorway.

Regardless of what it is or how sick he feels, Gokudera's instinct is to bring it in the house and dispose of it, before curious onlookers and neighbours get suspicious or steal the food, die and the police somehow manage to trace it back to him. The Tenth sure wouldn't be happy with that.

He grabs the bag and shuts the door behind him, quick to make it to the kitchen to get rid of it in case it's poisonous gas or something that will explode, setting the gun on the counter a little too carelessly in his haste. As he's about to throw it in a large, black trash bag, he notices a note attached to the containers. It's really messy, scrawled in child like handwriting and it takes a minute to read what it says.

_"Gokudera should try having a real meal more often. Your stomach said it all haha :) I think you'll the the old man's sushi quite a bit! --Yamamoto"_

He can feel his face flush instantly, heat striking from his neck to his hairline quick like a lit fuse. He crumples the paper -- _very aggressively_ \-- while cursing under his breath. He's certainly embarrassed. He's fucking _pissed_. His first instinct is to toss the sushi anyway because the baseball freak is probably trying to poison him too, steal his position as the right hand man. Get rid of the foreign outsider. His second instinct is to get really angry, offended, jealous even. _Fuck this stupid asshole and his charity, who does he think he is? Someone who maybe wants to prove that he's better than I am to the Tenth, prove that he's the better choice. Well fuck that!_

He grabs the containers out of the bag and one pops open, releasing a pleasant aroma and when Gokudera's eyes are drawn to the contents, he lets out a groan because the first thing he sees is unagi and that is his _favourite._ His stomach starts growling as if on cue, betrayed by his own bodily functions, and after what feels like hours of staring at the enticing platter in front of him, Gokudera  growls resignation and grabs a piece of sushi. He squeezes his eyes shut and takes a deep breath before popping the sushi into his mouth. The second he bites down, the flavours are erupting and coating his taste buds and he's reaching for another before he's done chewing the first. It's good and he really hates to admit that, but fuck he hasn't had much other than ramen and crackers since moving here and before that while in Italy, he was lucky if he ate at all. 

It takes Gokudera less than five minutes to scarf down the unagi and when he's done that he moves on to the spicy tuna rolls. They numb his tongue just a bit but he doesn't bother to grab a drink, he'd rather stuff himself full with good food than to fill his stomach with fluids. By the time he's done the tuna rolls, he's already full but Gokudera's never experienced such amazing flavor before in his life, not that he can remember anyways and the sushi is just too exquisite to stop. There's futomaki and temaki; there's even onigiri, mochi and daifuku when he opens the other containers.

"Holy shit," he mutters in awe, under his breath. He saves the onigiri and desserts for later but that night he goes to bed alive, with a full belly and an uneasy yet somehow pleasantly satisfying feeling that this Yamamoto Takeshi might not be so bad after all.

* * *

 

Gokudera sees the rays of the sun peak through the dark curtains he has over his windows. He's watched a full cycle; not being able to sleep isn't unusual for him. He ends up eating leftover onigiri for breakfast, drinks stale, but still effective, coffee to wash it down and gets ready for school. He's already left a text for the Tenth, and the Tenth replied that he wasn't going to school again today because he hasn't gotten any better. Gokudera had offered to keep him company, had offered to bring the other his homework, but the Tenth declined on both counts. Gokudera does't have to go to school, he was tired enough that he could sit at home all day, read a book or watch Myth Buster marathons but there was something coaxing him into making the decision, and despite trying not to think about it, he already knows the reason.

He leaves for school when the sun is still new in the sky, plugs in some headphones and lights up a smoke and takes his time walking there. There's no one on the sidewalks this early, and this is partially the reason why he leaves when he does.

It doesn't take him as long as he had hoped to get there, four songs and three cigarettes timed, and when he walks through the gate he can see Namimori's baseball team practising on the field beside the school. There's no one he recognises, not that he cares, but then he sees the familiar tousle of ink-black hair and warm-gold skin, this time in a crisp white linen uniform with his name clearly emblazoned on the back. Gokudera doesn't understand why his breath suddenly catches in his chest or why his feet have stopped moving or why he's _still staring_. And then he suddenly remembers _why_ Yamamoto looked so familiar yesterday, the blow hits him hard in the gut and nearly knocks him to his knees, and heat starts to burn under his skin like he's been slapped in the face too many times to count.

He was _that_ boy, the one Gokudera had seen on his first day of school, the one he watched swinging a bat and running around the field, though he didn't actually play, from the classroom window when he lost interest in the class lesson. The boy who had first caught Gokudera's eye because of the way he was built, tall and lean with summery skin and exuding confidence.The boy that had made his heart skidder in his chest, blood rush adrenaline-fast and his skin prickle with warmth. The boy he had thought of when he got home and needed to relieve the stress of his first day.

Now he feels irrationally furious, betrayed like his deepest kept secret has been revealed to the world, even if Yamamoto knows nothing, it isn't the same and everything's been ruined. There's no way he can ever look at Yamamoto again, not now when he can match reality to fantasy. _It doesn't matter anyways_ , Gokudera thinks as he forces his feet to move and he dashes up to the front doors. _The Tenth is my top priority, my only priority. And Yamamoto is nothing but a stupid baseball idiot._

And if Gokudera marches up to the second floor and slings his bag over the chair; if he slumps low enough in his seat that he can still peer over the window sill and into the baseball field underneath his window; if he watches Yamamoto laughing with his teammates and he smiles despite himself, well, the stupid baseball idiot is none the wiser and the secret will remain a secret until Gokudera sees fit.


End file.
